NYPD Gains Authority to Neutralize Unauthorized Drones at the US Open

New York City police have been granted standalone authority to take down unauthorized drones hovering over the US Open, marking the first instance of local law enforcement exercising such power nationwide. Commissioner Jessica Tisch cited the Safer Skies Act, passed by Congress last December and effective since July, as the legal basis for the new capability. Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner explained that NYPD officers will use their own electronic counter-drone equipment within a federally imposed temporary flight restriction.

This represents a shift from the recent World Cup, when the department could only act alongside federal authorities. While no specific threats have been identified, the police will maintain heightened surveillance throughout the tournament, which runs from Aug. 23 to Sept. 13 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens.